England knocked out of 2015 Rugby World Cup after defeat to Australia

Bernard Foley’s two tries and 18 points with the boot shattered errant England’s hopes, with Owen Farrell’s late sin-binning confirming head coach Lancaster’s nightmare scenario.

Victory for the Wallabies sent them and Wales through to the quarter-finals, with England the first World Cup host nation not to reach that stage.

“I’m just so proud of the effort”.

Australia may have lost their last two Tests against England but Cheika chose his strongest side with a back-line of Israel Folau and Matt Giteau and a pack including turnover specialists David Pocock and Michael Hooper.

Australia’s big win over England has put the Wallabies in the box seat to make a fourth Rugby World Cup final.

Their 2015 showing is the worst in England’s World Cup history with their previous worst showings seeing them knocked out of the tournament at the quarter-final stages of the 1987, 1999 and 2011 competitions.

“I believe in my players 201 percent”, he said going into the sellout match at Twickenham.

Defeat could well mean the sack for head coach Stuart Lancaster, but he says that is the last thing on his mind right now. Wallaby coach Michael Cheika laughed off the barb.

Five minutes later, the Wallabies targeted the same two defenders with a clever set play – Foley turning the ball inside to Kurtley Beale who split the defence, drew the fullback and found Foley in support for his second.

“Obviously, I have to think about (my future), it’s not one for now”, he said. We’ve still got another week to go.

Australia’s Bernard Foley kicks a conversion during the Rugby World Cup Pool A match between England and Australia at Twickenham stadium in London, Saturday, October 3, 2015.

“The better team won and put us under pressure in all aspects of the game”. Lancaster and England captain Chris Robshaw quickly apologised to the expectant nation.

He added: “One of the English players said they wanted to come and hit us hard in the first 20 minutes, so we had to be ready for it and come back with a few to try and negate it”.

Jones said England had questions to answer, pointing to their unrivalled resources and player numbers, and contrasted that with his own country’s efforts in beating England at Twickenham days ago to emerge from the tournament’s toughest group.

However from there Fiji grew into the game, and even threatened an upset when they got back to within four points early in the second half.

Now it’s a case of refreshing both mind and body ahead of what will be another high-octane affair against Australia, regardless of how the Wallabies fare against England this weekend.